CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

O‘TOOLE

Thousands of cell doors flew open, and thousands of prisoners ran for their freedom. The guards cowered in the crevices between the cells and could do nothing to prevent the escape.

Within minutes, the whole castle was in chaos. The few remaining loyal guards chased the mob of enraged prisoners. The prisoners ran amuck through the pantry and library. More prisoners streamlined through the throne room. Chaos was the rule, except for Alexander. He sat in his cell like a stubborn mule.

      O’Toole couldn’t understand why the boy didn’t run free like the other prisoners. He wanted to leave Alexander, but his conscience wouldn’t allow it.

“What’s your problem?” hissed O’Toole.

“I’m not going until my sentence is over.” Alexander sat with his arms crossed.

“What!? Have you been thumped in the noggin?” O’Toole threw his hands in the air rolled his eyes and slapped his head.

Alex ignored him.

“Kid, they have sentenced you to life or longer,” said O’Toole, begging Alexander to follow his orders. “You have to leave with everyone else.”

“Nope.”

“Abby did this for you, and I don’t even know if she’s alive or dead,” said O’Toole, concerned. “Who knows? Maybe Hadley ate her.”

“Who’s Hadley?” Alexander asked as he whipped around. “Did you hear that?”

“I heard nothing.” O’Toole glanced around the room.

“Listen.”

O’Toole put his hands to his ears, “It’s like a million people are inside my head telling me we should go now.” His face became contorted. “And I mean, like right NOW.”

Within seconds hundreds of tiny mice oozed from the wall, snapping at the group with their razor-sharp teeth.

O’Toole grabbed Alexander like a sack of potatoes and sprinted to the door, but the mice blocked the exit.

The remaining toothy rodents regrouped and charged after the O’Toole and Alexander, who jumped up on the bed. The flesh-eating mice surrounded the bed. O’Toole grabbed his shillelagh but dropped it, and the mice snapped his fingers when he tried to pick it up.

Great. Alexander figured it doomed him, for the fifth or sixth time since the journey began just two or three days ago. He lost track.

“What are we going to do? I’m kinda too young to die by having my flesh eaten away.” Alexander asked O’Toole, who seemed to ignore him.

O’Toole wasn’t ignoring Alexander. He was summoning up all of his strength. The rodents now climbed onto to each other’s backs, building a tower of destruction. Layer upon layer, they inched their way to the bed like a giant wave. Layer upon layer, O’Toole, and Alexander kicked them, bashed them with pillows, and whipped them with the sheets. Nevertheless, it was futile. They couldn’t keep up with the onslaught of the annoying rodents. No sooner than one group fell than another would appear. The flesh-eating mice finally breached the bed.

“I can’t hold them off much longer.” O’Toole kicked away the rodents nipping at his heels.

Tears mounted in the corner of Alexander’s eyes. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and decided he would put up a fight rather than letting his skin be lunch.

“I didn’t say they defeated us,” O’Toole said. “I mentioned I couldn’t go on much longer.” Alexander looked at him curiously. “I’m conserving my strength, but it’s time.”

“Time?”

“Yes, I’m going to send you away. I wish I could find the strength for us both.” More mice were nipping at his heels. The mice ate away his shoe and were making a feast of the rest of his toes.

“I won’t leave you here alone.”

“Don’t be foolish. I’m sending you far away from the castle. Abby and Malley should follow. Wait for them.” O’Toole mumbled something that Alexander could not hear, and then he smiled at Alexander and said, “Remember to wait for Malley and Abby. They will find you.”

                                                                       

Alexander woke up, alone, on the great salt beach, miles from the prison. The sun beat down on the sand, heating it to critical conditions. There was nothing but miles and miles of salt.

He called for O’Toole, hoping he escaped the mice, but there was no answer. Tears filled his eyes. O’Toole gave his life to save Alexander. Neither Abby nor Malley was anywhere around. He remembered O’Toole’s last words. He was to wait for them.

He scanned the horizon in all directions. All he saw was dry sand and water. There were no visible mountains or anything on the horizon. Time slipped by slowly with no sign of another living person. He wondered what his brother and sister were doing at home even though he knew what they were doing. Brother was practicing swords while sister practiced walking around with books on her head. He wondered if his mother or father missed him. He asked himself why he came along on this ill-fated adventure.

He missed his family. He even missed Malley and Abby.

The lazy sun slowly moved from the east to the west. All I need to do is follow the sun. O’Toole told me to wait for his companions. Alexander sighed. In the distance, he saw a beast jump through the sand. Great, all I need is a huge sand bug. The sand suddenly rippled. He froze. Abby and Malley better hurry if they want to get here while I’m still alive.